After The Dust
by AnitaPlant
Summary: My additional 5 minutes that was missing from the Season 3 Finale. Jane and Maura and the missing couch scene. One Shot.


**After the Dust**

**Author's Notes:**

**I know this is late, but I did not like the end of the season 3 finale. That kidney needed addressed. The episode needed the couch, and it needed to brush off a few life-altering decisions with a dash of sarcasm like normal. I'm aslo adding my interpetation of what 'sharing a beautiful moment' shuld be, with a dash of Rizzles for you at the end because, duh…that's why we're all here. **

**I own nothing. All characters belong to others. **

The dust and grime is gone after 15 minutes of intensive scrubbing, but Jane stays in the shower for another 10 minutes letting the water droplets assault her tired body. She wants to stay until her skin is numb; so the outside of her body matches the inside. She reluctantly reaches for the lever and turns off the water. If she doesn't get out soon, she's certain Maura will come looking for her.

She pulls out a t-shirt and sweats from her duffle bag and gets dressed. She looks at the reflection staring back at her in the mirror and sighs.

_Just another day at the office..._

Her hands grip the sides of the vanity as she closes her eyes for a moment and says a silent prayer of thanks that everyone made it out of the building safely. Frost will need some time to recover from his injuries, but he'll be back to giving her shit in no time. Tommy and TJ were going to be fine. Thank god.

She throws her duffle bag onto the guest bed before she makes her way into the living room. Maura will probably ask her to stay after dinner. Neither one of them will feel like being alone after today.

"You feel better?" Maura asks as Jane finally emerges into the living room. She's already staked her claim to her side of the couch, refreshed from a shower and already dressed in comfortable yoga pants and a loose cotton shirt with a neckline that comes dangerously close to sliding off of one of her shoulders. The detective notices that small detail immediately.

But that's nothing new. She notices everything about the doctor's wardrobe. She could describe in exorbitant detail which tops are just a little too tight at the bust, or categorize the endless array of skirts that hug at the doctor's hips and accentuate her delicious curves by color, or material type...take your pick.

Jane runs her fingers through still partially damp, dark curls and tears her eyes away from Maura's partially bare shoulder, "I feel cleaner," she smiles meekly.

She does that now, every once in a while. She lets her gaze stay on parts of Maura a little longer than platonically acceptable. She's gotten lazy. And in her line of work, as soon as a perp gets lazy or complacent, that's when they get caught.

But lately she's not so sure that she cares if she gets caught.

It might just lessen the burden she's been carrying around for months. One she's fairly certain Maura has been shouldering, as well.

That's why the whole Casey situation is laughable to her right now. Both women tried to force it. Why?

Maybe to protect both of them from making a big mistake.

Jane's not sure that anything could be a bigger mistake than what she's done the last few weeks, trying to manufacture a relationship with Casey out of marginal friendship, at best. She was done.

Done pretending with Casey. Maybe done pretending with Maura.

Maura smiles back at her as she tucks her feet under herself on the couch, making room for Jane to sit next to her. She hands her the beer she's had waiting for her. The detective gives her a silent nod of thanks for the drink before sinking into the couch and putting her feet up on the coffee table. Jane holds the beer bottle in her hand, resting it on her thigh. She's too drained to take a drink right now, so her thumb traces the opening of the bottle as she absentmindedly stares across the room.

Maura watches as Jane's brow furrows in thought. She reaches over and taps Jane's thigh lightly with her fist to get her attention.

"It's going to be alright, Jane," she offers softly.

Jane turns her head and nods, "Yeah...I know," she breathes out deeply.

Maura studies her for a moment, not quite sure how to bring up the subject. She's been the supportive friend. She's given Jane all the information she can about Casey's injury and surgery, trying to be helpful.

She's done this because first and foremost, she loves Jane.

She wants nothing more than for Jane to be happy.

But Jesus...Jane deserves to be treated so much better.

She wants her old friend back. The one that was confident, strong, and independent. Not the one that is currently crumpled up on her couch, unable to even bring the bottle of beer up to her lips.

The Jane that literally begged Casey to give her a chance is not the same woman she befriended so many months ago.

And that has been nagging at her. The way Jane has been acting.

Weak.

Unsure of herself.

It has to stop. Now.

She licks her dry lips as she hesitates before broaching the subject. There's never a good time for this type of conversation, but Maura Isles isn't one to back down from uncomfortable situations. She takes a breath to begin, but is cut off before she even starts by Jane suddenly snapping to life.

"You're supposed to be my best friend." Jane turns on the couch and looks directly at the other woman. A crinkle of skin by her cheek gives away the start of her smirk. She eyes the doctor up and down suspiciously and shakes her beer at her, "Why did you let me waste so much time on Casey?" Maura's jaw drops, caught off-guard at her statement. That was the last thing she expected to hear from Jane. For the first time in a long time, the doctor is speechless. She can tell by Jane's teasing tone that she isn't really mad at her, but more disappointed in herself at her behavior over the last few weeks.

Jane squints across the room, her dark eyes coming back to life as thoughts roll rapidly through her mind. "You had no problem telling Hope how you really felt this morning, and you hardly know her." She turns her head back to the stunned medical examiner sitting next to her. She tries to keep a straight face, but tremors of a grin tug at the corners of her mouth. "Why didn't you tell me to get my head out of my ass? I clearly deserve better than Casey." She lowers her voice and asks dramatically, "Are you trying to get rid of me, Dr. Isles?"

Maura's hand rushes to her chest defensively, even though she knows Jane is teasing, "No! Of course not." She shifts on the couch uncomfortably, "As a matter of fact, I was just about to tell you that you needed to let Casey go, that you do deserve better than him." She looks up into the deep brown eyes smiling back at her and hesitates before she adds with a crinkle of her nose, "Sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

They both sigh. So many wasted weeks.

Jane stares at her for a moment as all thoughts about Casey leave her mind. There's something more important that's been eating at her since Maura told her about her discussion with Hope this afternoon. It's been bothering her much more than then end of her so-called relationship with Casey. She needs to get this off her chest.

Because first and foremost, she loves Maura.

She'll do anything to keep her safe.

She deserves so much more than what Hope and her half-sister have given her, and it tears Jane apart to see her treated this way.

She straightens her back and flicks her damp hair back over her shoulders with her fingers.

"Well, I'm going to be a better friend and tell you right now that you don't have to give that girl your kidney, Maura." She looks down and steadies her eyes on the doctor, all hint of teasing gone from her voice now. "There was a lot going on today, Maur. A lot of emotions, a ton of adrenaline floating around at that crumbling building. There is no reason to make a rash decision about your kidney." She reaches across the space between them and puts her hand on Maura's shoulder and gives it a sympathetic squeeze, "Nobody would blame you if you change your mind."

Maura sighs and reaches up to cover Jane's hand with her own. "I know. But I have to help her, Jane. I can't just sit by and let her die when I know that I could have done something to prevent it. I couldn't live with myself if I let that happen."

Jane nods in understanding, her hand slowly slipping down Maura's arm before leaning back onto the couch again. She suspected that would be the doctor's response, but she needed to try to talk her out of it anyway. "You're amazing, you know that?" Maura shakes her head demurely in disagreement.

"Yes, you are." Jane sits up straighter, amusement lighting up in her eyes. Maybe plan B will work to talk the doctor out of the surgery. "But you're not thinking this whole organ thing through." Maura quirks her head, waiting for her friend to continue with her line of reasoning.

Jane reaches across the space between the two women and extends her index finger. She presses it into the doctor's rib cage and drags a line slowly along the side of her torso. She meant the touch to be teasing, but she can't help but feel a jolt of excitement course through her veins at touching the doctor in such an intimate area. Her voice comes out a little deeper and softer than she intends as she speaks, "I'd hate to see you mar that perfect skin by donating a kidney."

Maura smiles for the first time in what seems like days. It feels good to see a glimpse of the old Jane. It feels even better to have Jane's attention focused solely back on her.

"It would be a travesty to the entire male population on the eastern seaboard if Dr. Isles was relegated to one-piece swimsuits." Jane states as seriously as she can.

_As well as a few select females, _she thinks to herself_._

She bites her lip to stop the smile before adding, "Not to mention the economic hit that the local bikini shops are going to take."

Maura feigns concern, her brow furrowing. "You're right, maybe I do need to think about this a little bit more." She can't help but notice the dimples that pop every time Jane tries and fails to stop a smile from spreading, or the way her eyes soften when she teases her.

Jane attempts to be serious again, "Chicks might dig scars on dudes, but I'm pretty sure dudes don't dig scars on chicks." Her eyes float down to her own side indicating the area of her self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Maura tosses her hair back and chuckles, "Are you telling me Agent Dean wasn't a fan of your handiwork?"

Jane's face twists as if she's in agony just thinking about it. She playfully pushes Maura's side and scoffs, "Oh, for the love of God! Can we please not talk about that night?"

Maura can't hide her amused expression at Jane's discomfort.

"I take it that means he wasn't very tender in bed?" Jane blanches at her obvious comparison of Dean to Slucky. Maura punches Jane's arm lightly. She wipes a tear of laughter from the corner of her eye. "We really don't have very good luck picking men, do we?"

Jane takes a drink of the rapidly warming beer and shakes her head, "No, we don't."

They both remain quite for a moment, each silently revisiting their failures with the opposite sex.

Maura swirls the wine in her glass as she contemplates Jane's options. "So, Agent Dean isn't a possibility anymore?"

Jane's face crumples again, "No, he was horrible in bed." She waves her hand around in a triangle by her chest down to the junction of her legs, "He was only interested in the trifecta of erogenous zones, if you know what I mean." Her lip snarls in disappointment before adding, "And what he did there, didn't do much for me." She adds quietly, "Maybe it was my fault. I was preoccupied thinking about you." Maura's head snaps up immediately at Jane's words.

Jane coughs into her hand in a poor attempt to cover up her admission and then quickly adds, "You know…after that car tried to run you over. I was worried." She rubs her brow and squeezes her eyes tightly closed. She knows Maura isn't going to let this go, but she's strangely okay with that. She's tired of pretending.

Maura swirls her glass again and takes a long, slow drink of the deep red wine as she thinks.

In their line of work, they are faced with the reality that life is so very short on a daily basis. That can be both a blessing and a curse.

The doctor glances to the diplomas displayed on her bookshelf. She's an extremely intelligent woman. Jane didn't let that slip accidently. Maybe they are both tired of trying to hide their obvious mutual attraction. She huffs at the simplicity of the solution to their current relationship woes.

"So you thought about me while you were having sex…with him?" Maura questions, a slightly cocky lilt to her tone.

Jane narrows her eyes at the over-confident doctor. She wasn't going to make this easy for her. "I thought about a lot of things while I was having sex with him. Like, did I forget to start the dishwasher and how many days were left before my credit card payment was due," she rolls her eyes to minimize the importance, "My mind tended to wander it was so…ugh…awful." She shakes her head at the memory, "I never should have slept with him that night."

Maura hums in understanding, "What a waste." Her eyes fall to Jane's side where she knows the gunshot entered. She tentatively reaches out a hand and traces the area of the scar through the thin cotton material, "If I was in bed with you, I'd make sure you wouldn't be able to think about anything other than me touching you."

A ripple of excitement at the intimate touch and the doctor's words races through Jane's body. She swallows thickly as she watches the doctor's skillful hand gently caress the area the bullet tore through her flesh.

"Pretty sure of yourself there, Doc." Jane can't hide the slight tremble in her voice. She clears her throat and shifts slightly to cover up the quiver that tingles under her skin when Maura pushes her hand under her t-shirt to graze over the bare skin at her side.

Jane's spent 3 years containing her attraction to Maura, and she thinks she's done a damn fine job of hiding it from everyone around her. But as the first touch of the doctor's fingers melt into her skin, her body cripples under the pressure and she can't control the whimper that growls from the back of her throat.

"I've never had any complaints," Maura states matter-of-factly. She lets her thumb trail over the slightly raised flesh of Jane's scar. She smiles when she sees the flush of heat travel up Jane's chest, her face taking on a deeper hue of red. She decides immediately that her new favorite hobby is making the stoic detective squirm under her fingertips. She pushes her hand up further over ridges of defined muscle and ticklish ribs. She can't stop the smile that forms when she hears the brunette groan involuntarily one more time.

Jane slowly lets out a long rush of air as she tries to regain her composure. She shifts closer so she can brush back a strand of long, caramel locks with her fingers to expose the alabaster skin at the doctor's neck. She leans in and fills her lungs with the scent of Maura's hair and shampoo. She whispers in her low raspy voice, the heat of her words washing over the doctor's cheek, "Giving up your kidney to that girl, it's very noble."

Maura gently sighs as she feels Jane's hands skitter across her back, "Well, it will never be as heroic as what you did, shooting through yourself to save Frankie." Her fingernails press into the flesh at Jane's side to emphasize her point.

"This whole donating a kidney thing…," Jane lets her lips trail over the freckled skin of the doctor's neck, "…it isn't just an underhanded way of trying to out 'butch' me, is it?" She feels the low rumble of laughter in the doctor's chest.

Maura pushes back slightly, biting her lower lip. She waits until the detective's dark eyes rise to meet her own.

"Don't worry, you'll have every opportunity you need to prove how 'butch' you are." She reaches out and grasps two fistfuls of the taller woman's shirt to pull her even closer. A devilish smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, "And I'm going to give you a head-start start right now."

**THE END**


End file.
